This invention relates to portable ramps and more particularly, a ramp that allows the vehicles to traverse over curbs.
Wheeled vehicles, especially lawn care equipment, such as lawn mowers and tractors, are often required to traverse up and over curbs in order to get to grass cutting and work areas, such as those found in residential developments. Bumping against curbs to traverse up and over curbs causes wear and tear on such vehicles and equipment, often resulting in broken wheel casters on riding mowers, cracked transmissions, damaged cutting blades and damage to hydraulics. Some people use boards or other ramp-like devices in an attempt to eliminate the latter problems; however, boards and similar devices often break, slip or slide, are cumbersome and are usually not readily accessible when needed.
Thus, a need exists for a curb ramp that overcomes these problems.
The prior art includes several patents, but none like the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,146 issued to Fogarty, et al. on Jul. 23, 1991 teaches a vehicle ramp with multiple inclines, but it cannot fit against a curb as the present invention. U.S. Pat. 5,287,580 issued to Nelson on Feb. 22, 1994, teaches a folding, portable hinged ramp with a flat top. U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,715 issued to Fogarty, et al. on Jan. 16, 1996, shows another vehicle service ramp. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,235, issued to Lynberg on Feb. 4, 1997, shows a collapsible skate ramp with a sloped end.
Contrary to the above patents, the present invention, as described and illustrated in more detail herein, is a portable ramp having a curved bottom designed to allow it to hug the shape of a curve. The present invention has ridges on the top surface for traction and can have one or more ridges on a bottom surface for traction as well. Magnets may be attached to or embedded in the bottom surface so the ramp can be removably secured to metal on the top of wheeled vehicles and equipment so the ramp does not have to be hand carried and is readily available for use as needed.